Use safety devices to prevent needle stick injuries.
The walk from a patient's bedside to the storage container for disposal of needles is a short but potentially deadly walk. Although the containers for disposing of sharps (materials that can pierce the skin) are located only a few feet from the patient's bedside, thousands of health-care providers suffer needle stick injuries before they complete the distance. The consequences of accidental needle pricks range from minor annoyance to deadly infection. Policymakers noting the hazard of needle stick injuries, have developed safety devices to reduce the risk.
Needless Injection Systems
Instead of using a needle to puncture the skin, a needless system relies on pressure exerted by the injected liquid to puncture the skin and force medication into the puncture site, according to the American Nurses Association's Needle Stick Prevention Guide.
Needless Connector Systems
Needless connector systems increase safety by eliminating needles in intravenous (IV) systems that deliver medications through veins. According to the OSHA website, the system uses interlocking parts instead of needles for connections.
Needle Switching Protection
Health-care providers must occasionally use two different needles (needle switching) to administer a medication or perform a procedure. One needle is used to either draw or inject medication (according to the procedure being performed), then it is replaced with a second needle. Needle switching is necessary to some procedures because different phases of the procedure may require the use of different needle types specifically designed for the task. With needle-switch safety devices, the user twists the syringe into a special holder that removes the needle, then twists the syringe into a second depression that replaces the needle. User manipulation of the needle is reduced and the margin of safety increased, states Nurses.com.
Protective Sheaths
A safety system may consist of a sheath that the user slides over the needle or sharps device after use. The sheath covers the needle and protects the user from accidental needle pricks.
Hinged Recaps
The health-care worker may protect himself from needle sticks by recapping or covering used needles with a puncture-resistant guard attached by a hinge to the injection device. The recap may be accomplished by using the index finger or other mechanisms to manipulate the hinge covering.
Retractable Needle
Retractable needle systems automatically pull the needle inside of the device that injects the medication. The threat of an exposed needle is eliminated. When using syringes, the plunger (portion of the syringe that is pressed to inject medication) must be completely pressed in to activate needle retraction, according to the American Nurses Association website.
Self-Blunting
Self-blunting systems use a tiny plastic tube to encase the needle. The tube is advanced over the needle after insertion or injection to blunt or cover the needle point.
Tags: needle stick injuries, safety devices, stick injuries, accidental needle, accidental needle pricks, according American